Spiraea plant &#39;SMSJMLG&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Spiraea  cultivar named ‘SMSJMLG’ is disclosed, characterized by a uniquely dwarf, dense plant habit, light green foliage and medium pink flowers. Plants have a strong flowering habit. The new variety is a  Spiraea , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Spiraea japonica.

Variety denomination: ‘SMSJMLG’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Spiraea cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Timothy D. Wood, in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Spiraea varieties of compact and full habit with new and better flower and leaf colors. The breeding program resulting in this new variety began during June of 2007.

The parent varieties are unidentified. A block of 100 mature, flowering unnamed mutated seedlings, pretreated with 10 greys of radiation was grown out (designated M1 generation). Seed was collected from ten plants with the best foliage and dark pink flowers. This seed grown out (M2 generation) and selected for superior foliage, flower coverage and flower color. The new variety was identified as a potentially interesting selection in 2009, at a greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘SMSJMLG’ by softwood cuttings was first performed during the Summer of 2009, at commercial greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SMSJMLG’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMSJMLG’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMSJMLG’ as a new and distinct Spiraea cultivar:

1. Plants have a dwarf habit. 2. Plants have a uniquely tight growth habit. 3. Distinctive light green foliage. 4. Medium pink flowers.

PARENT COMPARISON

Parent varieties are unidentified.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SMSJMLG’ can be compared to the patented commercial variety Spiraea japonica ‘Yan’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,615. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however ‘SMSJMLG’ differs in the following:

1. The new variety is shorter than this comparator. 2. The new variety has a very tight plant habit, this comparator is more open in habit. 3. Flowers of the new variety are smaller than flower of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘SMSJMLG’ grown outdoors in Grand Haven, Mich. in a 2 gallon container. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 2 years.

The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2015 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘SMSJMLG’ plants grown in a commercial poly greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. under natural lighting. Measurements were taken during June of 2016. The plants were 2 years old in 2 gallon containers. The growing temperature ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. during the night and 18° C. to 27° C. during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Spiraea japonica ‘SMSJMLG’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 15 days at approximately 22° C. -   Root description: Fibrous and fleshy, moderate to dense density     medium thickness and freely branching. Cream to brown in color, not     effectively measured with a color chart. -   Time to produce a rooted young plant: About 2 months at 22° C.

PLANT

-   Plant type: Perennial shrub. -   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years old. -   Growth habit: Dwarf shrub. -   Pot size of plant described: 2 gallon pot. -   Overall plant shape: Mounded and upright. -   Height: Approximately 21 cm. -   Plant spread: Approximately 43 cm. -   Growth rate: Fast. -   Plant vigor: Excellent. -   Branching characteristics: Basal branching, pinching required. -   Length of primary lateral branches: Approximately 19.2 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: Approximately 1.3 mm. -   Quantity of lateral branches: About 111. -   Stem:     -   -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem color.—Near Brown 200C bark on oldest growth near             Yellow-Green 144C.         -   Texture.—Slightly scaly.         -   Aspect.—Near straight stems held at an angle between 0-100°. -   Internode length: Average 1 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single.         -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.         -   Average length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 1.5 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Serrate to double serrate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, silky.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, rugose.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green             N144A. Young foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green             N144B. Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A             and N144A. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138B.         -   Venation.—Pattern: Pinnate-netted. Color upper side: Near             RHS Yellow-Green N144A. Color under side: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 144C.         -   Petiole.—Average Length: Approximately 2.7 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Petiole color upper side: Near RHS Yellow-green             144C. Petiole color lower side: Near RHS Yellow-green 144C.             Petiole Texture upper side: Smooth. Petiole Texture lower             side: Smooth.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Late Spring to early Summer. -   Inflorescence type and habit: Single rotate flowers located on     flattened terminal corymbs. -   Flower arrangement: Single rotate flowers. -   Quantity of flowers per inflorescence: Average 16. -   Inflorescence size:     -   -   Width.—Approximately 2.4 cm.         -   Height.—Approximately 0.5 cm. -   Quantity of flowers per lateral stem: 16. -   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant: About 1,000. -   Individual flowers:     -   -   Flower form.—Rotate star shape.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright and outward.         -   Flowering habit.—Terminal.         -   Size.—Diameter: Approximately 5 mm. Length: Approximately             5 mm. Depth: Approximately 5 mm. -   Flower other characteristics: Persistence: Self cleaning. Fragrance:     None. -   Petal:     -   -   Petal arrangement.—Single whorl of five petals, not fused.         -   Petal appearance.—Silky.         -   Number of petals per flower.—5.         -   Petal shape.—Widely obovate.         -   Petal base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Tip shape.—Obtuse.         -   Length.—2.5 mm.         -   Width.—2 mm.         -   Texture.—Upper: Smooth. Lower: Smooth. -   Petal color: When opening: Upper surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 67B.     Lower surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 68C and 73A, colors mixed. Fully     opened: Upper surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 73A. Lower surface: Near     RHS Red-Purple 73B and 73C, colors mixed. Fading: Upper surface:     Near RHS Red-Purple 73B and 73D, colors mixed. Lower surface: Near     RHS Red-Purple 73D. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Orbicular.         -   Length.—Approximately 1.3 mm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 2.0 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Red-purple 73C. -   Sepals:     -   -   Shape.—Wide deltate.         -   Arrangement.—Single whorl of 5 sepals, fused into             hypanthium.         -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Length.—Approximately 1.5 mm.         -   Width.—Approximately 1.5 mm.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Truncate/fused.         -   Tip.—Cuspidate.         -   Texture.—Smooth all surfaces.         -   Color.—Upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Yellow 160A. Lower side:             Near RHS Greyed-Yellow 160A and 160C, colors mixed. -   Calyx:     -   -   Shape.—Star shaped.         -   Length.—4 mm.         -   Diameter.—4 mm. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—6 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Grey-Brown 199A.         -   Orientation.—0-70°.         -   Strength.—Good.         -   Texture.—Smooth. -   Pedical:     -   -   Length.—2.5 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 0.75 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.         -   Orientation.—30-60°.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—Approximately 15.         -   Filament length.—2.7 mm.         -   Filament color.—Near RHS Red-Purple 63C. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Length.—Less than 0.5 mm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Purple 79A.         -   Pollen quantity.—Moderate.         -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Greyed-White 156B. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—About 1.25 mm.         -   Style.—Length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Color: Near RHS             Greyed-Green, upper section Red-Purple 71B.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Irregular retuse. Color: Near RHS Brown 200C.             Ovary color: Near RHS Yellow-Green N144A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and Fruits: Not observed to date. -   Garden performance: Good performance in a garden setting, including     tolerance for rain and wind. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     normal diseases and pests of Spiraea have been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: The new variety tolerates temperatures     between −31° C. to 38° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant named ‘SMSJMLG’ as herein illustrated and described. 